GROUP

ASSIGNMENT
JOB ASPECTS OF
ENGINEERING
TECHNOLOGISTS
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................1

2.0 JOB ASPECTS OF FOOD ENGINEER..................................................................2

2.1 RESPONSIBILITIES.........................................................................................2

2.2 EDUCATION....................................................................................................3

2.3 CONTRIBUTIONS............................................................................................5

2.3.3 PRODUCT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT...............................................7

2.4 CHALLENGES..................................................................................................9

2.5 JOB ASPECTS.................................................................................................10

2.5.4 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS........................................................................11

2.5.5 WORK CULTURE.................................................................................12

2.6 JOB REQUIREMENTS...................................................................................13

2.6.3 EDUCATION.........................................................................................14

2.7 JOB MARKET.................................................................................................15

3.0 CONCLUSION......................................................................................................16

4.0 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................17
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Food engineering is a scientific, intellectual, and expert field concerned with the
interpretation and application of engineering, scientific knowledge, and mathematics
fundamentals to the scientific disciplines of food processing, production, manufacture,
storage, conservation, control, packing, and distribution. Food engineering is a
multidisciplinary and specialized field of engineering that draws on food science and other
engineering disciplines such as electrical, mechanical and civil engineering. Due to the
complexity of foodstuffs, food engineering is a branch of more precise physicochemical
concepts such as microbiology, thermodynamics, transport processes, rheological properties,
and heat and mass transfer. Food engineers use this knowledge to develop feasible, secure,
nutritious, better and healthier, reasonably priced, and high-quality ingredients and foods, as
well as food systems, machinery, and instrumentation. This knowledge is applied to the
production of low-cost goods.
Food technology is based on well-established theories and practices, despite the fact
that it is a young and evolving field of study. Food preservation, this include food
stabilization and sterilization, spoilage prevention, and nutrient conservation in food for
longer periods of time, was the focus of food processing in the old days. More specific,
traditional activities include food dehydration and concentration, barrier protection
packaging, canning, and freeze-drying. Long-distance nutritious foods were required for
survival, so battle and long journeys, including space missions, effected and speeded up the
development of food technologies. Freshening, storing, and fermenting were some of the
other prehistoric activities. Food engineering has lately linked to food quality, safety, taste,
health, and sustainability, while several traditional activities remain strong as well as serve as
a basis for modern technologies and innovations.

1
2.0 JOB ASPECTS OF FOOD ENGINEER

2.1 RESPONSIBILITIES

These food engineering section employ a diverse set of skills, many of which are learned
through education. Food engineers must have strong problem-solving abilities, effective verbal
and written communication skills, and well-developed organizational skills. Food engineers must
be knowledgeable about process engineering, food and physics chemistry, microbiology, and
machinery interactions with food products (Careers in Food Engineering | Department of
Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, n.d.).
Food engineers are in charge of ensuring that food is processed, packaged, and delivered
to every store on the planet in a safe and efficient manner. It is, of course, a critical task for all
mankind. In the storage, processing, and distribution of food and other bio-based materials, food
engineers use engineering principles. They are in charge of keeping store shelves stocked with a
variety of nutritious and safe canned, bagged, and boxed foods. The field has a high degree of
overlap with other food-related disciplines. Food scientists and other food technologists often
cooperate with them.
Despite scientific research on food scientists and technologists, food technologists
concentrate on the packaging, processing, and food quality aspects of the supply chain. Food
engineering is a broad field covering everything from plant engineering to transportation truck
storage systems. For this reason alone, it is definitely worth looking. Practitioners must have a
strong engineering background and an effective knowledge of chemistry and food science in
general (What Does a Food Engineer Actually Do?, n.d.).

2
2.2 EDUCATION

Food engineers, also known as food scientists, use microbiology, chemistry, and other
sciences to create the most delicious, healthy, and safe food products. They are in charge of the
entire food production process, from production to distribution. It must also create the safest and
most environmentally friendly methods for processing, packaging, preserving, and storing food
for distribution.
Food engineers should be able to work effectively in a variety of settings, including
offices, laboratories, and manufacturing facilities. While more and more of these professionals
are working on their own, the majority of them work for private food companies. Although these
professionals frequently work standard business hours, travel may be required. Opportunities in
the field are expected to expand in response to the growing demand for safe and sustainable food
science technologies (How to Become a Food Engineer: Education and Career Roadmap, n.d.).
Food engineers use cutting-edge technology in the processing, packaging, preservation,
and improvement of food products. This type of engineer works with the agricultural and food
processing industries to ensure food safety, availability, nutrition, and value. A bachelor's degree
in agriculture, life sciences, or food sciences is typically required for entry level positions in this
field. Higher grades open up more employment and pay opportunities. Food engineers typically
begin their careers with a bachelor's degree. Undergraduate studies in natural sciences,
agriculture, life sciences, and bioprocess engineering may lead to a career in food engineering
(Food Engineer Job Description and Salary Information, n.d.).
This career has a high potential for growth and pay, but it requires a bachelor's degree
and certification. Many national colleges report that 100% of their graduates find work
immediately after graduation. Some universities assert that they are unable to meet the demand
for food engineers. Education in food engineering has always been based on two pillars: unit
operational design and hands-on training. Typically, the theory focuses on methods for
developing unit operations based on correlations between the behaviour of products and
materials under different conditions, such as fluid conductivity, steam pressure, and water
activities. Second, students become acquainted with larger scales and phenomena as a result of
exposure to practice in practical courses for example in the pilot plants. Internships in the
industry supplement this learning and prepare students for life in a real factory.

3
 The future of food technology looks promising. Obviously, undergraduate and graduate
education in food engineering will continue to evolve. Because of the unique characteristics of
food and ingredients, as well as the difficulties in applying engineering concepts and principles,
the field of study will remain appealing. Future students' education will be shaped by the new
knowledge generated by current and future research.

4
2.3 CONTRIBUTIONS
2.3.3 PRODUCT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
In many ways, process design has aided in the improvement of food quality. These
advancements were made possible by the introduction of new and distinct ingredients, as well as
the development of new processes in process design. New technologies for preserving volatile
flavours are being developed, with a focus on encapsulation processes. Process designs have
resulted in a number of new and improved product textures as a result of new physical property
knowledge.
The concept of water activity provided an unparalleled foundation for the development of
products and processes. Water is used to calculate the rate at which food deteriorates due to
microbial or non-microbial effects. Water (aw) activity is used to preserve food, stabilize food
supply, and develop new types of safe foodstuffs (Food Preservation by Reducing Water Activity
- Food Microbiology: Principles into Practice - Wiley Online Library, n.d.). Water activity
influences non-enzymatic brewing, lipid oxidation, vitamin and nutrient degradation, enzymatic
reactions, protein denaturation, starch gelatinization, and stomach retro gradation. In general, the
rate of chemical degrading reactions slows as the solution's water activity decreases (Water
Activity for Safety and Quality | METER, n.d.). Microorganisms cannot grow in the absence of a
critical level of water activity. The activity of the water, not its moisture content, determines the
lower limit of "available" water (Erkmen & Bozoglu, 2016).
Because bacteria, yeast, and moulds all require some "disposable" water to grow,
developing a product with a water activity below the critical level is an effective way of
controlling growth (“Basic Principles of Food Fermentation,” 2016). Water may be present in a
product even at high concentrations, but the water cannot be removed if its energy is insufficient
to promote the growth of microorganisms. The osmotic imbalance between microorganisms and
the environment is caused by the 'desert' environment (Barbosa-Cánovas et al., 2008). As a
result, the microbes are unable to grow. A food's stability is unaffected by the amount of bound
water in it. Water that is free or food-free promotes microbial growth and participates in and
facilitates chemical and enzyme reactions as well as spoilage processes. Many new links between
food reaction rates and water activity have aided in the development of foods with longer shelf
lives and higher quality characteristics. Complex relationships between temperature and

5
moisture content in food provide additional opportunities for process development now and in
the future.
2.4 CHALLENGES

Despite the enormous role that innovation plays, there is no single acceptable definition
that encompasses all of its aspects. The use of an idea/invention, technology, process, or business
model to create a product/service that meets a specific requirement and can be cost-effectively
replicated is one definition. Given the increasing economic pressures, environmental challenges,
depleting resources, and the ever-increasing and accelerating pace of science and knowledge
development, innovation is a critical driving force and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to
address these complex issues, both existing and emerging. Innovation is critical for economic
development and social welfare. It opens up new avenues for gaining a competitive advantage
and creating value, and it encompasses all aspects of modern life (Saguy et al., 2013). However,
it has the potential to become a commodity at an unprecedented rate, necessitating ongoing
efforts to support and nurture it.
Another challenge is bridging the technology translation gap, colloquially known as the
"death-valley" (VoD), which is defined as a place where fundamental research findings are
buried due to insufficient commercialization, serious technical barriers, or funding. Initially, the
term "VoD" referred to the difficulties associated with transferring agricultural technology to
third-world countries (Saguy, 2016). This gap is not limited to food; it exists in a variety of other
fields as well, necessitating the four-helix approach to include everyone involved in order to
close it. It should be noted that the food industry, more than any other, is risk-averse and
frequently views the acquisition or upgrade of physical assets such as immobilization, industrial
buildings, or equipment as prohibitively expensive and risky. As a result, it prefers to
manufacture new products at the same facility (for example, by changing the fat composition of
the spreads while keeping a margarine line).

6
2.5 JOB ASPECTS

Food engineers eager to enter a workplace that provides the best job design, which
includes most people’s list of ideal jobs. The perfect job aspect influences food engineer’s
outcome from good motivation, satisfaction, performance, and engagement, as well as beneficial
professional experience for food engineers. Therefore, food engineers need to know the aspects
of the job and decide accordingly. The five most important aspects of a job as a food engineer
include salary, opportunities to use skills and abilities, good management, benefits, and work
culture.

2.5.4 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Employee benefit plans cover employee health and future. Offering benefits to employees
as in most industries can help attract and retain them. This employee benefit packages may
include overtime, medical insurance, vacation, profit sharing and retirement benefits. For
example, food companies offer their food engineers primarily medical insurance for employees
to pay for certain disabilities or medical conditions such as illness, accidental loss, disability,
sudden death, and dismemberment. A medical insurance benefit plan like this is a good way to
show food engineers that the company cares about them by paying a certain amount of money to
cover an employee’s medical treatment. Hence, the right benefits plans can give food engineers
an advantage throughout their employment.

2.5.5 WORK CULTURE

An appropriate work culture is important in ensuring the best and most productive work.
Considering the idea of workplace culture as values, principles, beliefs, and behaviors that
explicitly guide decisions and activities in the workplace. An example in food engineering career
where food engineers are encouraged to work flexibly and limitlessly participate in training and

7
development activities. They may also involve more collaborative work with other work
positions to achieve shared goals and ongoing teamwork.

2.6 JOB REQUIREMENTS

Job requirement relates to skills and qualifications that an employer deems necessary to
obtain an employment role. A job requirement is also considered perquisites to employment and
have a section in the job description. Assessing job requirements can help determine if a person
is suitable for a position and choose what skills, experience, and qualities to highlight, as well as
understand the scope of the role for a particular position. The most essential forms of job
requirements include work experience, skills, specific knowledge, education, professional
licenses, accreditations and certifications, personal qualities and attributes, language, and
physical abilities. Even so, work experience, skills, and education become the focal point of
every job requirement.

2.6.3 EDUCATION

Education requirements allow applicants to know what specific level of education is

required to get a job. A minimum level of education such as a diploma or degree is usually
required for each job listing. In relation to the position of food engineer, applicants must have a
bachelor’s degree. This education can be obtained in the fields of food process engineering, food
science, biology, food science, or a closely related field. General subjects in the degree programs
include mathematics, chemistry, biology, microbiology, engineering principles and engineering
design.

8
2.7 JOB MARKET

Job market interprets the provision of a job market to individuals who are actively
seeking employment. In the job market, there is an interaction between employer and employee,
where employers compete for the best employees while employees strive for the most fulfilling
jobs. This such career market information can help to forecast marketability or talent
availability of employers and employees. During or in the future, the job market may potentially
grow or shrink depending on the demand for labor and the supply of employees available in the
overall economy.
These days, the demand for employment prospects for food engineers is very high and it
is predicted to continue to excel in the near future. On account of food engineering graduates are
in demand at the regional, national, and international levels, nearly all students pursuing a career
in food engineering get placed in that field. This is because food engineers are considered
important to ensure safety, supply, nutrition, and stability of food. Beyond these basics, food
engineers continue to work to strive to make food tastier, more convenient, and more appealing.
Most of their role today will focuses on packaging techniques, processing, and food quality
improvement.
According to a credible source the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for
graduates and the opportunities for a job in food industry will continue to be strong for years to
come. Employment opportunities in Science and Engineering, and in Food Production, offer
approximately 18400 and 7900 job positions respectively available to new college graduates
between food between 2020 and 2025 (USDA 2020-2025 Employment Opportunities – in Food,
Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources, and the Environment, n.d.). The BLS predicts a
5.2% increase in the U.S. labor force between 2018 and 2028 due to growth jobs and opening
from retirements or other replacements. It also expects employment opportunities in food-

9
related jobs to grow 2.6% between 2020 and 2025 for college graduates with a bachelor’s or
higher degrees.
In the long term, food engineers still have a rising career because jobs opportunities data
in Science and Engineering together in Food Production are in no way of slowing down. Hence,
this job option is very lucrative for a career path despite facing stiff competition for jobs in the
marker.

3.0 CONCLUSION

Food engineering is a multidisciplinary and specialized field of engineering that uses

food science and other engineering disciplines. Food engineers holding the responsibility for
ensuring food is processed safely and efficiently, all the way from food processing and storage to
food distribution. In addition, food engineers are making improvements to the machines where
food is processed, packaged, and manufactured in order to increase efficiency. More than that,
food engineers have a variety of responsibilities in many forms of development that can be
utilised across the food sector. Food engineers equip themselves with the necessary knowledge
and skills such as gain a degree in food process engineering, food science, biology, or a closely
related field. Coupled with some skills in food engineering such as effective communication,
active listening, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, leadership, ability to use industrial
food machinery and technology, as well as strong analytical and numerical skills to successfully
completing a work. Needless to say, food engineers continue to have outstanding contributions to
food preservation, and some food product quality improvement. To sum up, food engineering
career offers individuals for the best career in the near future for a long term because of stable
employment opportunities and quite good salary. There are good scopes of food engineering
careers that provide numerous job opportunities in food processing industries.

10
4.0 REFERENCES

Basic Principles of Food Fermentation. (2016). Food Microbiology: Principles into Practice,
228–252. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119237860.CH39

Boom, R. M., & Janssen, A. E. M. (2014). Food Engineering. Encyclopedia of Agriculture and
Food Systems, 3, 154–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-52512-3.00060-7

Careers in Food Engineering | Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering. (n.d.).

Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://bbe.umn.edu/undergraduate/careers-food-
engineering

USDA 2020-2025 Employment Opportunities – in Food, Agriculture, Renewable Natural

Resources, and the Environment. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2021, from
https://www.purdue.edu/usda/employment/

Water activity for safety and quality | METER. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from
https://www.metergroup.com/food/articles/water-activity-safety-quality/

What Does a Food Engineer Actually Do? (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from
https://interestingengineering.com/what-does-a-food-engineer-actually-do

11
12